SafekipediaIllinois Institute of Technology
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
The Illinois Institute of Technology (often called Illinois Tech or IIT) is a private research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Though it took its current name in 1940, its history goes back to 1890, growing from the combination of the Armour Institute and Lewis Institute. Today, Illinois Tech offers many programs, including architecture, business, communications, design, engineering, industrial technology, information technology, law, psychology, and science.
The university is known for its strong focus on research and is counted among “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity” classified. In the middle of the 20th century, Illinois Tech became famous for its modern buildings, thanks to the work of its Dean of Architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who designed much of the campus. Over time, it also brought together other schools such as the Institute of Design, Chicago-Kent College of Law, and the Midwest College of Engineering.
History
In 1890, a Chicago minister named Frank Wakely Gunsaulus gave a famous speech saying he could build a school with a million dollars where students would learn by doing things, not just reading about them.
Because of this idea, a man named Philip Danforth Armour, Sr. gave one million dollars to start the Armour Institute in 1893. This school taught engineering, chemistry, architecture, and library science.
Later, in 1940, Armour Institute joined with Lewis Institute to become the Illinois Institute of Technology. Lewis Institute, started in 1895, offered courses in many subjects for both men and women.
Over the years, Illinois Tech grew by joining with other schools, like the Institute of Design in 1949 and Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1969. It also started new programs, such as the Stuart School of Business in 1969.
The campus was designed by famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, starting in the 1940s. Today, Illinois Tech offers many programs in subjects like engineering, science, business, and law, and continues to grow and develop.
Campuses
See also: Illinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus
Illinois Institute of Technology has five campuses in the Chicago area. The main campus is in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood and includes all undergraduate programs and many graduate programs. Other campuses are in the Chicago Loop, the Fulton Market area, and the suburbs of Bedford Park and Wheaton.
The main campus features many buildings designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who led the school's architecture program for many years. Part of this campus became a historic site in 2005. The school also has a campus in the Chicago Loop, a life science lab in Fulton Market, a graduate studies center in Wheaton, and a food safety research center in Bedford Park.
Main campus
The main 120-acre campus, called Mies Campus, is in Bronzeville on the South Side of Chicago. It includes many famous buildings designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The campus uses modern materials like steel and glass, inspired by Chicago's factories.
Notable buildings
S. R. Crown Hall, built in 1956, is one of Mies's most famous works. It has a unique roof design supported by just eight columns. The building was updated in 2005 and again in 2013.
State Street Village (SSV), a student housing area finished in 2003, was designed by architect Helmut Jahn. It has three five-story buildings connected by glass walls to reduce train noise.
The McCormick Tribune Campus Center (MTCC) opened in 2003, designed by Rem Koolhaas. It has special pathways that continue the paths students use across campus. A tube covers part of a train track above the center.
The newest building on campus is the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship, designed by architect John Ronan and completed in 2018. It won a top design award in 2019.
Sustainability
In 2010, Illinois Tech received a top sustainability rating from the Princeton Review, sharing the honor with the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
Academics
Illinois Tech has five main colleges and several research centers. These include the College of Computing, Armour College of Engineering, Lewis College of Science and Letters, College of Architecture, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. There is also the Institute of Design and the Stuart School of Business.
The university offers many programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees. Some programs focus on engineering, science, design, business, and law. Illinois Tech is known for its strong programs in areas like aerospace, materials, and chemical engineering. It also has special programs in cybersecurity and digital forensics.
Student life
See also: Illinois Institute of Technology student groups
Illinois Tech has many student groups for students to join, such as religious groups, academic clubs, and activity clubs.
Three big student groups help everyone at the school: the Student Government Association (SGA), the Student Union Board (UB), and TechNews. The SGA talks between the school leaders and students, shares student ideas, and helps student groups. The UB plans over 180 events each year for fun and activities. TechNews is the school newspaper that shares news and ideas for students.
The school also has a radio station, WIIT, and a disc golf course. There is a place called "The Bog" where students can play games and watch fun shows. There are also music groups like The TechTonics that perform on and off campus. The school has several fraternities and sororities for students to join.
Athletics
The Illinois Tech (IIT) athletic teams are called the Scarlet Hawks. The university competes in the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), mainly in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) since 2018–19. Before that, they competed in Division I of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Illinois Tech has teams for 19 different sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. There is also a cricket team that is not a main varsity sport.
Basketball
Illinois Tech stopped its men’s and women’s basketball teams after the 2008–09 season but started them again in 2012–13. The men’s team played in a big championship in March 2017.
Track and field
Track and field is the oldest sport at Illinois Tech, starting in 1893. The team had many great athletes over the years. It stopped being a main team after 1963 but returned as a club team in 2004 and a main team again in 2011. Since then, many athletes from the team have qualified for big national competitions.
Notable alumni
Main article: List of Illinois Institute of Technology alumni
Illinois Institute of Technology has many successful graduates who have gone on to achieve great things in different fields. These alumni come from programs such as architecture, engineering, business, and science. Their accomplishments show the impact the university has had on the world.
Notable faculty
| Faculty (current and former) Chaudhary Ajit Singh, former Indian Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Virgil Abloh, fashion designer (Creative Director for Louis Vuitton and Founder of Off-White x Nike), entrepreneur, DJ John L. Anderson, professor of chemical engineering Lori Andrews, professor of law Wiel Arets, professor of architecture Shlomo Argamon, professor of computer science Carol Ross Barney, adjunct professor of architecture John F. O. Bilson, professor of finance, dean of Stuart School of Business Harry Callahan, professor of photography Cosmo Campoli, professor of sculpture Patrick Corrigan, professor of psychology Michael Davis, professor of philosophy Martha Evens, emeritus professor Martin Felsen, associate professor of architecture Lance Fortnow, dean of the College of Computing Susan Fromberg Schaeffer, assistant professor of English Lois Graham, professor of mechanical engineering S. I. Hayakawa, professor of English Mar Hicks, associate professor of history of technology Fazlur Khan, adjunct professor of structural engineering Albert Henry Krehbiel, professor of art Walter McCrone, professor of microscopy and materials science Josephine Janina Mehlberg, mathematician Karl Menger, professor of mathematics Hassan Nagib, John T. Rettaliata Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering László Moholy-Nagy, professor of design Art Paul, designer, creator of Playboy logo Walter Peterhans, taught 'visual training' course for architecture students Sonja Petrović, associate professor of applied mathematics Nambury S. Raju, professor of psychology Edward Reingold, professor of computer science and applied mathematics Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, professor of architecture John Ronan, professor of architecture Mohammad Shahidehpour, Bodine Chair professor of electrical and computer engineering Tamara Goldman Sher, professor of psychology Arthur Siegel, professor of photography Aaron Siskind, professor of photography Nellie Bangs Skelton, professor of piano Abe Sklar, professor of applied mathematics Susan Solomon, discover the hole in ozone layer, leader in Atmospheric Chemistry, inducted in National's Women Hall of Fame Robert Bruce Tague, professor of architecture David Tannor (born 1958), theoretical chemist, Hermann Mayer Professorial Chair in the Department of Chemical Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science John Henry Waddell, professor of sculpture and art John Heskett, professor of design Charles N. Haas, Betz Professor of Environmental Engineering, Drexel University (IIT BS 1973, MS 1974); was a faculty member at IIT from 1981 to 1990. Member, National Academy of Engineering Leon M. Lederman, professor of physics; Nobel laureate in physics (1988); director emeritus of Fermilab; founded the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Herbert A. Simon, professor of psychology; political, economic, psychological and computer science polymath; Nobel laureate in economics (1978) Jack Steinberger, physicist; Nobel laureate in physics (1988); studied chemical engineering at Armour Institute of Technology but his scholarship ended and he had to leave |
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